Counting Coffee Cups
by Ms.Informed13
Summary: AU SwanQueen one shot, short and fluffy- "Emma monitored her wife's cups of coffee like some people counted their spouses drinks at a party. If the brunette had already consumed three cups and it was still before seven, there was no way she would be able to convince her wife to have a lazy Sunday."


**A/N- This is just a short sweet one shot that's totally AU with Swan Queen. It is actually probably one of my favorite things that I've written so hopefully you all enjoy it too.**

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Emma groaned in disappointment and rolled over only to wince at the harsh sun already sneaking through the cracked open blinds facing the sunrise. It wasn't the brightness that had awoken her, or even the absence of the warm body she had fallen asleep next to, Emma had grown used to waking up to both of those these days.

No, what had brought Emma back to the land of the living was the distant beep of the coffee machine. Even a whole floor, an almost closed door, and half the house away, the faint noise had managed to stir the blonde.

Flinging an arm over her eyes, Emma risked rolling over again to steal a glance at the clock on her wife's bedside table: 6:29. Emma growled in mild annoyance and reluctantly stood from the bed, taking a moment to let her feet sink into the plush white carpet of the bedroom before she stalked over to the closet mumbling the whole way.

"Wake up at fucking early- o- clock on the weekend." She muttered digging through the sweaters, looking for her favorite to combat the chill of an early winter morning in Maine which pervaded the house no matter how high she turned the thermostat. Regina always took great amusement in how cold the blonde got, and then great annoyance with how many layers it prompted her wife to wear, making any semblance of 'easy access' go out the window.

Finding the old and well loved dark green sweatshirt folded neatly in the back of the closet, Emma paused momentarily in her rant to yank it over her head not even caring how mussed it made her unruly curls.

Despite the extra bite in the air, Emma decided to forgo putting on sweat pants to venture downstairs in just the sweatshirt and a skimpy pair of sleep shorts, hoping to tempt her wife back to bed.

When she made it down to the kitchen, the smile fell from her face slightly upon finding it deserted. The fresh pot of coffee was already missing enough of it's contents to fill Regina's favorite travel mug. Regina had many mannerisms that Emma had learned quickly over the years, one of the most peculiar to Emma was the brunette's coffee ritual. She would make her cup, stirring just one half spoon of sugar into the bitter drink, and place the used spoon directly into the sink. Each time she made a new cup she would re-use her mug, but get a new spoon, allowing her used ones to accumulate as evidence of her habit.

Padding silently over to the sink in her bare feet, Emma counted three spoons laying neatly in a row on the metal bottom.

Emma monitored her wife's cups of coffee like some people counted their spouses drinks at a party. If the brunette had already consumed three cups and it was still before seven, there was no way she would be able to convince her wife to have a lazy Sunday.

Emma made her way down the hall to the brunette's home office. She drew to a stop in the doorway and observed the woman sitting behind her imposing desk, her hands templed in front of her as though she were praying, and her eyes closed in so much concentration that if Emma didn't know better she might believe that's what her wife was doing.

She had no idea when Regina had woken up and left her alone in bed, but as she took in the growing bags beneath the brunette's eyes, and the crease forming on her forehead from concentration, she wondered if the woman had slept at all. More than likely, the older woman had probably allowed herself to fall asleep for an hour or two before being woken by her damn internal alarm clock insisting she get work done.

The travel mug on a coaster by her wife's elbow didn't have a lid on it and she could see the handle of a spoon poking out from the rim: Four cups of cofffee, not three.

Sensing a presence watching her, Regina's brown eyes slowly opened to take in the woman studying her from the doorway. Worry creased her brow even more, "Emma. I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, you didn't." They both knew it was a lie, the blonde would sleep all day given the opportunity. Especially on her lazy Sundays.

"I just had to finish up a few things before I stop by the office today." Regina explained, shooting a disgusted glare at the folders and papers that covered the desk before her as if it were the papers themselves forcing her to go.

"You're going into the office today?" Try as she might, the blonde couldn't keep the pout and disappointment out of her voice.

Emma watched her wife deflate a bit. A sigh and then the light massage of one of her temples, "I'm sorry. It's just this case. I've never seen anything like it, and I've got to be completely ready for the arraignment on Wednesday."

Moving into the office, Emma came around the desk to rest on it beside where Regina's elbow had been moments before, "I can't believe you are going in to work on Sunday. It's the Lord's day for heaven's sake."

Finally, a laugh escaped the older woman's stern lips, "You've never set foot in a church aside from our wedding day."

"False!" The blonde cried triumphantly, "I slept in a church once when I ran away from my third foster home. Those pews are really uncomfortable."

Regina resisted the urge to roll her eyes and instead the harsh brown orbs softened marginally around the edges as she fully took in her wife so close in front of her clad only in her old sweater and a tiny pair of shorts. Emma could see the debate in the brunette's eyes as they raked over her body.

Rather than make a decision, Regina decided to toy with the blonde who was so obviously trying to do the same with her, "I didn't know that you went to Dartmouth." She smiled, rolling her chair over slightly so that Emma was between her legs as she leant against the desk. Regina toyed with the bottom hem of the stolen sweater.

"You know, Dartmouth, University of New Hampshire, they're practically the same thing." Emma shrugged.

"Practically."

"It was good enough for you." The blonde covered one of her wife's hands with her own.

"No, you were good enough for me. Too good. You still are." Regina interlaced their fingers and slipped her other hand around Emma's waist to draw her closer.

It didn't take much prompting to get Emma to push off the desk and scoot closer to Regina. The brunette was expecting Emma to settle in next to her, instead the younger woman swooped down, tucking one arm behind Regina's knees and the other went between her back and the chair. She easily lifted Regina in the air and carried her over to the couch in Regina's home office.

The couch was black leather and one of the comfiest ones in the entire house. Emma would pass many hours laying and reading or napping or just watching Regina while she worked. But now, she plopped down, settling the brunette in her lap as she reclined against the back. Regina laughed in surprise, and didn't object as the strong arms around her held on tighter, pulling her down against Emma's chest.

"You know, I seem to recall you promising to love, and to cherish me or something like that." Emma teased, running a hand up and down Regina's back.

"And?"

"And this may just be me. But I think you kind of have to be here to do that."

Regina sighed, laying her head down against Emma's shoulder. It was something that they had discussed at length throughout the years, each time Regina thought they had come to some sort of understanding, and every time Emma hoped they hadn't.

"Emma." The brunette sighed, "You know how important it is that I am dedicated to this work, because-"

"You are the last chance for families to get justice." Emma finished the line for her wife, "I know." She nuzzled her nose into Regina's soft hair, "I just miss spending time with you."

Regina weighed her options, she wasn't planning on telling Emma until she knew it was a sure thing, but now it seemed like the perfect time, "You know circut judges can set their own hours most of the time. They can manage their caseloads, they get holidays, and they take far less work home with them."

"Aren't you always complaining about how all the judges in our district are old, lazy, and prejudiced?" Emma didn't see where her wife was going with this.

"They are. Some of them, however, are retiring."

Emma's breath caught as she finally understood, but she didn't say anything for fear of shattering the promise that this moment held.

So Regina pressed on, "Judge Emerson is retiring, and I'm being considered for his position. They still haven't released anything, or run background checks, but I'm the clear frontrunner."

"You're going to be a judge?"

Regina laughed at the disbelief lacing her wife's voice, "I'm going to be a judge."

"And you promised that when you became a judge-"

"I know." She lifted her head far enough to look Emma, when her eyes met the deep green of her wife, she was amazed to see tears forming in the corners of Emma's eyes. Regina reached up to cup the blonde's cheek, "Hey, baby. Don't cry."

Emma's laugh was watery, "You can't just spring this on me and expect me not to react." She leaned down to kiss her wife deeply, "I just, I love you so much."

"I love you too."

"And now we're going to have a baby." Emma smiled, still in disbelief as she rubbed a hand across Regina's flat stomach.

Emma tightened her arms around her wife, pulling her as close as possible with Regina sitting in her lap. They enjoyed the rare quiet moment together as they just enjoyed their proximity. Emma could feel Regina's heartbeat thrumming next to her own, she knew Regina's heart was the largest and strongest one she had ever encountered. She would be an amazing mother.

"You do realize you're going to have to stop drinking so much coffee." Emma teased, her tears having finally given way to a goofily large grin.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves here." Regina laughed, "I still have to get through this upcoming arraignment."


End file.
